Neural progenitors articles from across Nature Portfolio

Mutations in condensin subunits cause microcephaly, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Here, the authors show that unrestricted retrotransposable element activity impairs brain development in condensin insufficient organisms.

Two related motor proteins cause opposing effects on spindle orientation of neural stem cells and subsequent cell fate of daughter cells.

Neuron–oligodendroglial interactions modulate neural circuit structure and function in the healthy brain. In this Review, Taylor and Monje describe the accumulating evidence for how glial malignancies subvert and repurpose these powerful neuron–glial interactions to drive glioma pathophysiology.

The enteric nervous system encompasses the gut-intrinsic neuroglial networks that regulate gastrointestinal functions. Based on single-cell analysis, the authors propose a model in which neurogenic differentiation paths branch from a gliogenic trajectory.

Organoid modeling of human forebrain development reveals an opposite imbalance in excitatory neuron number in macrocephalic and normocephalic autistic probands, stemming from divergent expression of transcription factors driving cell fate.

During cortical development, direct neurogenesis was found to generate key glutamatergic projection neuron subclasses and indirect neurogenesis generated and amplified specific subpopulations within these subclasses.

The modern human variant of the gene transketolase-like 1, but not the Neanderthal variant, promotes the production of basal radial glia during neocortical development.

During cortical development, the generation of neurons from progenitors coincides with increasing vascularization and oxygen levels in the fetal brain and the transition from anaerobic to aerobic metabolism. Dong et al. identify lactate, a metabolite of anaerobic glycolysis, as a multifunctional regulator that coordinates synchrony of cortical neurogenesis and angiogenesis.

Androgen signalling during development may represent the mechanism underpinning some observed sex-differences in adult human brain size.